Ph.D. University of Texas
M.A. University of Texas
B.A. China Communication University

Dr. Nan Zheng is Professor in the School of Media Arts and Design at James Madison University. Her scholarship focuses on news production and user engagement on emerging media. Her latest research examines the user experience of news on short-video platforms, using mixed methods such as eye-tracking and interviews to explore how creator practices shape attention, relatability, and trust. Zheng’s work appears in leading journals including International Journal on Media Management, Journalism Studies, and Journalism: Theory, Practice & Criticism. She has secured competitive grants from 4-VA and the Commonwealth Cybersecurity Initiative, advancing research on misinformation and media engagement. She is a recipient of the Bridgeforth Professorship (2022–2025) and multiple creative research awards for excellence in media scholarship.

As an educator, Zheng teaches courses in multimedia journalism, new media and society, and user experience design. Her classes emphasize hands-on learning, critical thinking, ethical storytelling, and platform-specific production strategies, preparing students to thrive in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

Teaching interests: New media journalism, User experience design, News writing and reporting

Research interests: Global media, Economics of new media